Vegeta&on data available for classifica&on of Canadian Arc&c sites

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1 Vegeta&on data available for classifica&on of Canadian Arc&c sites AVA workshop Krakow, April 2013 Esther Lévesque, Noémie Boulanger- Lapointe, Greg Henry and Will MacKenzie

2 Vegeta&on in Arc&c Canada Arctic Canada covers vast expanses from treeline to tip of North America Mountains, glaciers Lowlands Rolling hills (bedrock) Gradient from subarctic to polar deserts Gradient in glacial history - refugia (west ) - recent ice retreat but overall, RECENT Glacial retreat 6000 yrs BP Parc s Canada Ecozone classifica&on

3 Vegeta&on data in Arc&c Canada Large effort during IPY Database of available vegetation datasets/studies Varied in quality and spatial distribution Data collected to answer a range of questions not necessarily for classification purposes Data more abundant in the western Canadian Arctic Some areas intensively studied (many plots in same area) Some studies do not have voucher specimen, taxonomy can not be certified

4 Arc&c Compila&on and Classifica&on IPY funding acquired by Catherine Kennedy to compile the Canadian Arc&c data ( ) Contracted BV Research Centre to acquire, then compile exis&ng digital and hard copy data in a harmonized Vpro database Produce a drao classifica&on of Canadian Arc&c Associa&ons Similar work is on- going for the subarc&c Links to Canadian Na&onal Vegeta&on Classifica&on

5 4800 Arc&c Releves Compiled Adrian De Groot lead 482 projects, theses, and reports reviewed 82 acquired with suitable data Plot size and sample methods acceptable Rela&vely complete species list 17 addi&onal projects iden&fied with poten&ally suitable data but not acquired Does not include several poten&ally large datasets

6 CAVC Data Quality Generally inclusive of plots with issues Rela&vely minor synonymy challenges but species list quality (Moss/Lichen layer, challenging genera Carex spp., Salix spp.) omits many projects/plots Generally excluded microplots and line- intercept data. Conversion of nested micro- plots into a single relevé Cover classes: conversion to mid- point percent cover Environmental data: variable, ooen summarized data presented (plot data may exist with authors)

7 4700 Arc&c Plots (and 4500 Subarc&c)

8 CAVM zones Subzones Floris&c Provinces

9 Gap Analysis SubZone N Alaska Yukon Central Canada West Hudsonian Baffin - Labrador Ellesmere N Greenland Total A N/A 104 N/A N/A Few B N/A 92 3 N/A C 203? D N/A 677 E N/A 2533 Total

10 Data Analysis Largely a Braun- Blanquet table analysis approach Currently no specific agempt to fit into any exis&ng Braun- Blanquet higher levels Emphasis on vascular plant community composi&on Treatment of barrens largely from published units. Other units with insufficient data 3800 plots used in described Associa&ons

11 58 Proto Associa&ons Shore Zone Inter&dal, Estuarine Leymus mollis, Puccinellia phryganodes, Salicornia, Poor tundra, dry to very wet Betula Ledum Vaccinium Group Vaccinium vi&s- idaea, Eriophorum vaginatum, Ledum Sphagnum, Carex bigelowii Intermediate Basic Tundra Dryas Cassiope tetragona Dryas tundra, Cassiope tundra and snowbeds Wetland and wet tundra Carex aqua&lis Eriophorum angus&folium, Eriophorum scheuchzeria, Arctophila fulva, Alopecurus alpinus, Dupon&a fisheri Barrens Very low cover high la&tude units Luzula confusa, Saxifraga opposi&folia, Dryas, Phippsia algida

12 Associa&on Gaps Addi&onal Units lacking sufficient data (<10 plots): Some marine shore types Bryoid/Cryptogam types Some willow and sedge types. Arc&c- Alpine types (Labrador and Yukon) not included.

13 Types of data Two main approaches: 1) Classical relevé Braun- Blanquet approach 2) Plot data Sampling with repe&&on of small quadrats Common interest: Obtain the best descrip&on of the vegeta&on

14 Relevé approach Iden&fy representa&ve, homogeneous area Sample minimum area (size dependant on vegeta&on structure and complexity) Evaluate abundance of all taxa: Vasculars Bryophytes Lichens Evaluate environmental characteris&cs.

15 For the plot data? The same? Iden&fy representa&ve, homogeneous area : Yes Sample minimum area (size dependant on vegeta&on structure and complexity): Similar Area sampled with repe&&on of small samples (e.g. 20 x 1m 2 quadrats) Complete species list for a known area Evaluate abundance of all taxa: Variable Vasculars Yes Bryophytes rarely to species but total cover Lichens rarely to species but total cover Evaluate environmental characteris&cs? Variable

16 Alpine- tundra?

17 Example of plot based approach Tremblay and Gagnon, Nunavik (Part of : Northern Quebec Biodiversity Atlas ) 1) Scale of the region : Pre- selec&on : a) Automated stra&fied random sampling based on satellite image + geology (minimum size 8 ha) Aim : describe the biodiversity b) Visual analysis to include small habitats (linear or not, snow bed, marsh etc.)

18 Example of plot based approach Tremblay and Gagnon, Nunavik (Part of : Northern Quebec Biodiversity Atlas ) 2) In the field : Sampled plots (n= 230) of 1, 4 or 25m 2 - In 25m 2 plot, sub- sampling for bryophytes and lichens (1m 2 or 0.5m 2 ) Extensive environmental data 3) Analyses : Combina&on of mul&variate approaches and visual analyses Aim : describe the biodiversityc Very high quality dataset - Floris&c - Spa&al - Environmental

19 Example of plot based approach Baker Lake, Nunavut (MSc Carmen Spiech, UQTR) Aim : landscape scale berry shrub distribu&on 1) Scale of the region: Classifica&on de Olthof (2007) Landsat circa 2000 (30m) Good quality dataset - Floris&c (vasculars only) - Spa&al (shrub tundra) - Environmental (par&al) Preselec&on of homogeneous zones based on pre- exis&ng Landsat classifica&on: Areas with 3 pixels x 3 pixels 2) In the field : Find preselected point Aim to find a central, representa&ve area Plot 25m2, n=80 Cover es&mates : vasculars, total moss, total lichen, basic env. Modified from Makivik Corpora&on 2008

20 Example of plot based approach Nunavut : poin&ng (Tundra Northwest 1999) Aim : mul&site biodiversity comparisons

21 Example of plot based approach Nunavut : poin&ng (Tundra Northwest 1999) Aim : mul&site biodiversity comparisons High quality dataset - Floris&c - Spa&al (2 habitats) - Environmental 1) Scale of the con&nent : Preselec&on of 20 km radius zone based on biogeography informa&on and remoteness - Data sampled with standard protocol - High quality iden&fica&on (valida&on, collec&on) - Two contras&ng habitats across gradients 2) In the field : Find gradient (mesic- dry) Mark 20m x 20m plot Evaluate cover with point sampling in 30 random quadrats (1m 2 ) Taxonomy to species Complete environmental dataset

22 Few ques&ons for discussion Succession Disturbance Herbivores

23 Variety of datasets Not all datasets equal in value (e.g. taxonomical identification, spatial distribution, environmental parameters) Some datasets are perfect for detailed floristical analyses Some are less complete but can serve to identify higher level organisation or describe spatial heterogeneity Arctic datasets are precious (cost to collect information) and can serve as reference

24 Publishing vegeta&on data? Metadata : Polar data catalogue ( ) Centre d études nordiques (CEN - ) hosts a new publication for Databases Each database has a DOI (easy to cite) Currently microclimate data easily accessible Option for vegetation data

25 Acknowledgements All data contributors, graduate students and assistants Collaborators (ArcticNet, CiCAT, ArcticWOLVES, ADAPT) Logistical support by Polar Shelf and Agnico-Eagle Mine Numerous partners including NSTP, Parks Canada and others: